Rock News

Chris Daughtry Talks Halen vs. Hagar, Beatles vs. Stones, and more

(Yahoo!) - "American Idol" Season 5 finalist Chris Daughtry is about to release a new album, Baptized, and while its new sound — poppier, cleaner, lighter, even downright folksy in parts — will likely win his eponymous band new fans, it's also inevitable that it'll alienate some aficionados of the angst-ridden, hard-charging signature sound of Daughtry's first three LPs. Already the album's lead single, the EDM-tinged "Waiting for a Superman," has polarized Daughtry's fanbase and sparked fervent Internet debate. But as Chris sits down with Yahoo Music to preview three other tracks from Baptized — the upbeat, almost Bon Jovian title track; the groovy "Battleships"; and a humorously nostalgic ode to the good ole days, "Long Live Rock 'n' Roll" — he doesn't show much concern for the haters.

"Concern? That's probably not the right word as much as the word expect. I kind of expect a few people to just not get it, you know?" he shrugs. "And I'm okay with that, because this is where I'm at right now. I'm very proud of the record. I always think about Van Halen, what were fans thinking when 'Jump' came out with all the synthesizers? Of course, back then the Internet wasn't around, so you didn't hear immediate hate. But my point is, I can't continue to put out the exact same thing. And the fans don't deserve that."